Which of the following space agencies is building the Super Heavy Launch Vehicle?

KPSC Staff Nurse - 2017

General Knowledge

Hard

Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is actively developing a next-generation rocket in the super heavy-lift class, often referred to as the Super Heavy Launch Vehicle (SHLV) or Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).
This development is a critical part of India's long-term space strategy, which includes establishing the 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' (Indian Space Station) and undertaking future crewed missions to the Moon.
The question's use of the present continuous tense "is building" most accurately describes the current status of ISRO's project compared to the other agencies listed.

Option A: The European Space Agency's newest rocket, Ariane 6, is a heavy-lift vehicle, but it does not meet the payload capacity requirements to be classified as a super heavy-lift vehicle.
Option B: NASA has already completed the primary development of its super heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and has successfully launched it on the Artemis I mission. Therefore, they are in an operational and production phase rather than an initial building phase.
Option C: While Russia's Roscosmos has announced plans for a super heavy-lift rocket (Yenisei), the project has faced significant delays and its current development status is uncertain and not actively progressing in a visible way.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Current launch vehicle development programs of major space agencies as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Super heavy-lift capability is a key enabling technology for the future of space exploration, allowing nations to launch large space stations, conduct crewed missions to the Moon and Mars, and deploy large-scale space telescopes.
The development of such vehicles is a matter of national prestige and strategic capability, indicating a country's technological prowess and long-term ambitions in space.
This topic is relevant to general awareness, as space technology often drives innovation in many other fields, including materials science, computing, and medicine.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'space agencies', 'Super Heavy Launch Vehicle', and the verb tense 'is building'.
Recognize that 'Super Heavy Launch Vehicle' refers to a class of rockets with a very high payload capacity (typically >50 tonnes to LEO).
Evaluate each listed space agency based on your knowledge of current events in space exploration.
Consider the tense 'is building'. This implies an ongoing development project. Eliminate options that have already completed their vehicle (NASA's SLS) or are not building one in this class (ESA's Ariane 6).
Compare the remaining options. ISRO's NGLV/SHLV project is actively in the design and development phase, making it a better fit than Roscosmos's stalled Yenisei project.
Select the option that best matches all the criteria in the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Current launch vehicle development programs of major space agencies.
Stem keywords: space agencies, Super Heavy Launch Vehicle, building
Lead-in keywords: Which
Negative lead-in flag: false

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